In the snowy streets of Sapporo, Hokkaido, a culinary revolution quietly began in the early 1970s. What started as a medicinal soup in a small café has evolved into one of Japan’s most beloved regional specialties—soup curry. Unlike the thick, sweet traditional Japanese curry that most people know, this remarkable dish features a light curry flavored soup that captures the essence of Hokkaido’s culinary spirit.
At Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu, we’re not just serving a meal; we’re sharing a piece of Hokkaido’s soul. Our passion drives us to bring Singapore’s first and only authentic Hokkaido soup curry experience, honoring every aspect of this extraordinary dish from its aromatic spices to its unique serving style. We believe that to truly understand Japanese food, one must explore beyond the standard curry roux and embrace the regional diversity of Japanese style cuisine.
What is Soup Curry?
Soup curry represents a beautiful departure from conventional Japanese curry. Born in Sapporo during the early 1970s, this beloved Japanese comfort food emerged from the intersection of traditional medicinal soups and Southeast Asian curry influences. The result is a popular dish that perfectly embodies Hokkaido’s approach to nourishing, warming cuisine.
The foundation of authentic Sapporo soup curry lies in its light broth made with chicken stock, curry powder, and garam masala. Unlike the thick, gravy-like consistency of regular Japanese curry, our soup curry maintains a thin, drinkable consistency that allows the complex flavor profile of individual spices to shine through. Each spoonful delivers warmth and comfort without the heaviness of traditional curry.
Our serving style honors the original Sapporo tradition—the curry soup arrives in a deep bowl alongside steamed rice served separately on its own plate. This presentation allows diners the flexibility to enjoy the dish exactly as they prefer, whether sipping the aromatic flavored soup directly, dipping rice into the soup, or combining elements with each bite.
How We Stay True to Hokkaido Tradition
As Singapore’s first and only authentic Hokkaido soup curry restaurant, we take immense pride in our distinction. While many establishments might offer vegetable soup variations, our commitment to authenticity sets us apart. We’ve invested countless hours studying traditional Japanese recipes, understanding the nuances that make genuine soup curry an experience unlike any other.
Our faithfulness to traditional Japanese soup curry extends beyond simply following instructions. We’ve embraced the philosophy behind the dish—the belief that each ingredient should maintain its individual character while contributing to a harmonious whole. This approach requires patience, skill, and an unwavering commitment to quality that defines Hokkaido soup curry.
Every technique we employ comes directly from Sapporo’s tradition. From our careful selection of spices to our precise timing in preparing each element, we follow the cooking methods that have been refined over decades. Our chicken bones and chicken broth simmer for hours in a large pot, developing the depth and complexity that characterizes authentic Japanese soup curry.
What Makes Our Soup Curry Different?
The contrast between our Sapporo soup curry and thick, sweet traditional Japanese curry represents two entirely different culinary philosophies. While conventional curry relies on a flour-based curry roux that creates a heavy sauce, our soup curry builds its foundation on a clear, flavorful chicken stock enhanced with carefully balanced spices like freshly ground black pepper and garam masala.
Traditional Japanese curry typically arrives as a unified dish with rice and curry sharing the same plate. Our unique serving style honors the Sapporo tradition of presenting steamed rice separately. This separation lets you appreciate the soup base and its complex aromatic profile while enjoying the flexibility to combine elements as you wish.
The spice profile in our soup curry showcases far more complexity than the simpler flavors found in regular curry. Where traditional versions might rely on mild, sweet notes, our soup curry layers curry powder and multiple spices to create depth and warmth. Each spoonful reveals different notes—the earthiness of turmeric, the heat of pepper, and the savory umami of soy sauce.
The Heart of Our Soup Curry: Quality Ingredients
Our Signature Chicken
The centerpiece of authentic soup curry has always been tender chicken thighs and chicken legs, selected specifically for their rich flavor and ability to become fall-off-the-bone tender. We choose these cuts because they provide the perfect balance of meat and fat needed to create the authentic Hokkaido taste.
Our cooking method ensures that every piece of chicken achieves the ideal texture—tender enough to separate easily with a spoon, yet maintaining its structure. The chicken bones contribute essential flavor to our chicken broth, while the meat becomes infused with our spice blend during the slow cook time.
Our Deep-Fried Vegetable Preparation
Our colorful array of deep fried vegetables showcases the traditional preparation method that gives Hokkaido soup curry its distinctive appeal. Each vegetable—from vibrant bell pepper and earthy lotus root to carrots, potato, onion, and shimeji mushrooms—receives individual attention using traditional Japanese cutting method techniques.
The deep fry technique we employ serves a crucial purpose. By quickly frying all the vegetables in hot oil, we seal in natural flavors while creating a slight caramelization. We ensure they are nicely browned and golden brown, which enhances their natural sweetness. This method ensures that the fried vegetables maintain their bright colors and distinct textures, unlike a standard vegetable soup where ingredients might become uniformly soft.
Our Aromatic Curry Broth
The foundation of our soup curry lies in our rich chicken stock, developed through hours of careful simmering in a heavy bottomed pot. We begin with quality chicken bones, creating a base that provides both body and flavor to our light broth. This process cannot be rushed—the slow extraction of nutrients creates the distinctive mouthfeel that separates authentic soup curry from simple vegetable soup.
We infuse this stock with aromatic spices, diced onion, garlic, and ginger. We often brown these aromatics in a frying pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat to develop brown bits—the caramelized sugars that add depth. Unlike home cooks who might look for instant pot directions or use pressure cooking to save time, we rely on slow, traditional methods to ensure more flavors develop naturally.
A Note on Cooking Methods: Professional vs. Home Style
Many of our guests ask about the preparation. While you might find a recipe online that suggests you set cooker functions for multi cook settings or look for required recipe ratings on a blog, our restaurant kitchen operates differently. We don’t rely on shortcuts.
For example, when preparing our vegetables, we don’t just toss them in a pot. We deep fry them to create a texture you simply can’t get from boiling. At home, you might place fried items on a wire rack lined with paper towels or a kitchen towel to drain excess oil. We follow a similar principle but on a larger scale, ensuring every piece of lotus root or eggplant (cut half lengthwise) is perfectly crisp before it enters the soup.
Similarly, while a home recipe might suggest adding coconut milk or rice vinegar at the end, or instructing you to gradually add half the spices and gently mix, our chefs have mastered the precise timing of these additions. We might perform a quick stir or a stir fry of the spices in a small bowl or cast iron pan to release their oils before they ever touch the broth.
Customizing Your Experience
Our range of spice levels accommodates everyone. We offer multiple spice levels because authentic Sapporo soup curry is about personal preference. Each level builds carefully upon the previous one, maintaining the complex flavor profile while increasing intensity.
Whether you prefer a mild vegetable curry experience or an intense heat that highlights the freshly ground black pepper, we can adjust the dish to your liking. We also offer seasonings ahead of serving to ensure the balance is perfect.
Beyond Soup Curry: Our Izakaya Experience
While soup curry is our specialty, our restaurant transforms daily at 6 PM into a traditional Japanese style Izakaya. This allows us to showcase both Hokkaido’s signature dish and the broader tradition of Japanese food.
During these hours, we offer classic Japanese recipes and small plates that pair perfectly with sake. You might enjoy fresh vegetables served with dip, or savory meat dishes. But the star remains our soup curry.
How to Enjoy Authentic Soup Curry
The traditional eating technique centers on dipping steamed rice into the curry soup for each bite. Unlike regular Japanese curry where rice and sauce are pre-combined, our separate serving style allows you to control the ratio.
Using a spoon and fork to handle our large, deep fried vegetables requires a slightly different approach. The spoon manages the light broth and rice, while the fork helps you navigate the substantial pieces of golden brown vegetables and tender chicken legs.
Visit Us: Bringing Sapporo’s Soul Food to Singapore
Our mission is to share the true taste of Hokkaido. From its humble origins to its current status as a popular dish, soup curry represents the best of regional Japanese cuisine.
When you visit Soup Curry by Ki-Setsu, you’re not just reading a review recipe blog or following instant pot directions—you are experiencing a culinary tradition refined over decades. We invite you to discover why soup curry has captured the imagination of food lovers across Japan. Come taste the delicious difference of fresh vegetables, rich chicken broth, and aromatic spices in every bowl.
We don’t just cook; we craft an experience. Whether you are craving a hearty meat dish or a lighter vegetable soup curry, we have the perfect bowl waiting for you. Join us at soupcurry.com.sg to eat soup curry the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
